Means for preventing inversion of movable bottom of sliver collection can

ABSTRACT

A sliver collection can for accommodating a sliver open at both ends includes a movable bottom, which is supported by a support disposed at the lower open end of the can when the movable bottom is in its lowermost position. In order to avoid any possibility of the movable bottom being inverted or turned upside down within the can during handling of the can, the latter is provided with means for preventing the inversion of the movable bottom, which means comprises a flange or a projection added to the support to extend upwardly inside the can, and means added to the movable bottom for limiting a degree of inclination of the movable bottom relative to the can or support. Upon inclination of the can, said limiting means engages with a portion of the can and a portion of the flange or projection, thereby limiting the inclination of the bottom.

United States Patent [191 Ohashi et al.

' 1 Nov. 19, 1974 MEANS FOR PREVENTING INVERSION OF MOVABLE BOTTOM OF SLIVER COLLECTION CAN [75] Inventors: Shozo Ohashi, Itami; Mitsuo Mori, Toyota; Satoshi Oyobe, Kariya, all of Japan [73] Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho, Aichi Prefecture; The ToyoEibreCm, Ltd., Tokyo, both of, Japan [22] Filed: Oct. 24, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 300,257

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 30, 1971 Japan 46-100474 [52] U.S. Cl 19/159 R [51] Int. Cl B65h 54/80 [58] Field of Search 19/159 R; 220/93; 312/71; 221/192; 222/386, 326, 327; 211/49 D; 248/128, 350

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1967 Witzgall 220/93 X 3,614,814 10/1971 Arakietal. l. 19/159R Primary Examiner-Dorsey Newton Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wenderoth. Lind & Ponack [57] ABSTRACT A sliver collection can for accommodating a sliver open at both ends includes a movable bottom, which is supported by a support disposed at the lower open end of the can when the movable bottom is in its lowermost position. In order to avoid any possibility of the movable bottom being inverted or turned upside down within the can during handling of the can, the latter is provided, with means for preventing the inversion of the movable bottom, which means comprises a flange or a projection added to the support to extend upwardly inside the can, and means added to the movable bottom for limiting a degree of inclination of the movable bottom relative to the can or support. Upon inclination of the can, said limiting means engages with a portion of the can and a portion of the flange or projection, thereby limiting the inclination of the bottom.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 25 4 Fa to u r 12' |3\ o o n It? MEANS FOR PREVENTING INVERSION OF MOVABLE BOTTOM OF SLIVER-COLLECTION BACKGROUND 'OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a sliver collection can, including a movable bottom, for use with spinning ma: chines, such as a drawing frame, a dressing machine and the like, and more particularly to means for preventing inversion of the movable bottom within the sliver collection can.

It is desirable to collect the maximum possible amount of sliver in a given can size. Various methods and arrangements have been proposed to increase this collection quantity in the given can size, one of which has included the employmentof higher density of the layers of coiled sliver accommodated in the can. In such method, it is necessary that the sliver coil is'accomodated in the can under a predeterminedconstant pressure. For the purpose of doing so, the bottom of the sliver collection can has to be moved along'the inside length of the can by a suitable raising. and lowering mechanism between a position adjacent the open top end of the can and the bottom surface of a coiler wheel and a lowermost possible position within the can. For example, such raising and lowering mechanism may be a pantograph mechanism-as disclosed in US. Pat. No.

3,614,814 assigned to the same assignee as the present application. In US. Pat. No. 3,614,814, the movable bottom plate witha downwardly extending circumferential projection is disposed within the cause that the projection is carried by means of a stop orsupport provided at the lower end portion of the can. Itis apparent that the projection is provided merely to add rigidity to p the movable bottom plate, although'there is no description in this respect. After a new empty can of the type descrived above has been set ina proper positionbeneath the coiler wheel, the movable bottom plate is raised to the aforesaid uppermost-position by the raising and lowering mechanism and-thereafter, during accomodation of the sliver, the bottom plate is adapted to be lowered slowly to pile the 'sliver at the constant pressure.

On the lower surface of the bottom plate, means to ensure that the bottom plate rotates integral with the pantograph mechanism may be preferably mounted, which means is usually in the form of a bar or rod.

However, when handling the empty can provided with the movable bottom, for-example, when setting it in the proper position beneath the coiler wheel, the can is apt to lie down or to be greatly inclined and the movable bottom within .the can tends to be inverted or upside down. If the empty can having the bottom plate inverted is set in the aforesaid position beneath the coiler wheel and the inverted bottom plate is" raisedby the pantograph mechanism preparatory to .accomodation of the sliver, the circumferential projection of the in-' verted bottom plate will abut against the lower surface of the coiler wheel before the bottom plate reaches the uppermost desired position. This results in a disadvantage of causing damages to the related parts, i.e., the coiler wheel, the bottom plate and the pantograph mechanism.

In addition, since the bottom plate isof course not provided on the top. surface thereof ,with said means for ensuring integral rotation of'the bottom plate with the pantograph mechanism, the inversion of the bottom plate causes the bottom raising and lowering mechanism not to be engaged firmly with the bottom plate. Therefore, upon initiation of collection of the sliver in the can after the bottom plate has been brought into the uppermost desired position, rotation of the coiler wheel necessary for feeding the sliver into the can in a circular pattern off-center of the sliver can axis is transmitted through the sliver to the bottom plate, thus rotating the bottom plate, regardless of the bottom raising and lowering mechanism. This results in disadvantages of disturbing a smoothsliver collecting operation and soiling the sliver such that it becomes unusable.

Furthermore, in case where the can employs a bottom plate of which the top surface, but not the back, is processed to be made rough so as to facilitate engagement of the sliver with the bottom plate, if the bottom plate is inverted, there would occur a considerable slip between the sliver and the bottom plate back, resulting in an undesirable sliver collecting operation.

It is stated again that, in the case of the employment of the prior art sliver can, the inversion of the movable bottom plate will occur within the can, resulting in the various disadvantages as described above.

One of possible methods of preventing such inversion of the bottom plate is to make a longitudinal length of the downwardly extending circumferential projection or flange of the bottom plate so long that, when the can is inclined beyond a predetermined degree, both an upper edge of one portion of the projection and a lower edge of the other portion ofthe projection spaced away from each other by an angle of are allowed to contact the corresponding inner surface portions of the sliver collection can. In order to collect the maximum possible amount of sliver in the given can size, however, itis readily understood thatthe length of the bottom plate projection is preferably as short as possible, so that the height of the top surface of the bottom plate at its lowermost position can be made as low as possible. Thus, this solution to the problems has still significant disadvantage.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a sliver collection can, of which a movable bottom is preventedfrom inversion thereof even when the sliver can is greatly inclined during handling thereof;

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sliver collection can, having the aboveto collect the sliver in the can for a given can size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the above objects can be achieved by providing a sliver collection can, open at its opposed ends, with means for preventing inversion of a movable bottom plate carried in the can by a support added around the lower open end of the can, comprising a flange or a projection attached to the support to extend upwardly into the inside of the sliver can, and means provided on the bottom plate for limiting the inclination of the latter relative to the support or the can, which means engages upon inclination of the can at least with a portion of the inner surface of the sliver can and a portion of the flange, said portions being on opposite sides of said limiting means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which similar or corresponding parts are designated by the same or similar reference numerals throughout the figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an arrangement for accommodating sliver in a sliver can of the present invention;

' FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the sliver can of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale;

' FIG. 3 is a plan view of the rear of a bottom plate employed in the sliver can of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate modified forms of sliver cans with upper portions removed;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the rear of the bottom plate in a modified form; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the rear of the bottom plate in another modified form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawing, particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown, in section, an arrangement for accommodating sliver in a sliver can 1 open at its top and bottom ends and having a movable bottom in the form of a vertically freely slidable plate 2. The can 1 is removably supported on a rotatable can wheel 3 in the form of a cylinder extending through a floor 4, and the can 1 is disposed beneath a coiler wheel 5 forming a part of a coiler head assembly 6 which serves to guide and lay a rope of sliver 7 into the can 1. The coiler head assembly 6 may be of any suitable construction.

The can wheel 3 is journalled on a foundation 9 by means of a bearing 10, and is adapted to be driven by a gear 11 fixed to the lower end portion thereof.

In the can wheel 3, a mechanism 8 for raising and lowering the bottom plate 2 is provided for moving the latter between a lowermost possible position at which it is supported by a stop or support 17 mounted on the open lower end of the sliver can and an uppermost possible position adjacent the lower surface of the coiler wheel 5 and the open top end of the sliver can 1. This mechanism 8 is illustrated, by way of example, as a pantograph mechanism similar to that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,614,814. The lower part of the pantograph mechanism consists of two main links 12, 12 each of which has at its lower end a roller l3, l3 controlled by a guide 14 formed in the can wheel 3. The inner ends of said links 12, 12' are connected to a projection 15. The upper ends of the links 12, 12' are connected to the pantograph link elements 16. Since upper ends of the pantograph mechanism support the bottom plate 2 of the sliver can, it will be seen that it is possible to attain larger displacement of said bottom plate 2 by means of minor displacement of the lift acting upon the main links 12, 12. In the non-operable position, said mechanism may be arranged in a small space in the can wheel 3.

The pantograph mechanism per se will be rotated to rotate the bottom plate 2 according to the rotation of the sliver can I. Said projection 15 is in engagement with the can wheel 3. In order to exert vertical movement to the bottom plate 2, said projection 15 is mounted to a cylindrical slide 18. The sliding cylinder 18 has a femalescrew. Beneath the can wheel 3, there' is a shaft 19 journaled on a bearing (not shown) and having a gear 20 at the lower end. At the upper end, said shaft 19 has a male screw thread formed in the sliding cylinder 18.

The sliding cylinder 18 may rotate in unison with the can wheel '3 and can slide vertically. Consequently, according to the rotation of the gear 11, while the can wheel 3 and the sliding cylinder 18 are rotated in unison, the screw bolt driven by the gear 20 is adapted to raise or lower the sliding cylinder 18 owing to differential speed of the screws.

According to such vertical movement of the sliding cylinder 18, the bottom plate 2 supported by the upper end of the'pantograph mechanism can be largely displaced upwardly or downwardly.

According tov the present invention, the stop or support 17 for the bottom plate 2 is provided with a circumferentiaL-flange 21 extending uniformly upwardly into the interiorofthe sliver can 1 as best shown in FIG. 2. On the other hand, the sliver receiving bottom plate 2 is provided over its circumference with a downwardly extending flange 22 having a larger diameter than that of the circular flange 21. The bottom plate 2 is provided on the rear surface with a member in the form of a bar 23 for ensuring that the bottom plate 2 is rotated in unison with the pantograph mechanism 8 and the bottom plate 2 is prevented from being rotated through the sliver 7 due to rotation of the coiler wheel 5. The sliver receiving top surface of the bottom plate 2 preferably has a rough finish so as to facilitate engagement of the sliver 7 therewith.

The bottom plate 2 having the aforesaid construction is disposed within the can 1 as shown in FIG. 2 with its flange 22 facing downward. At this time, the bottom plate 2 is supported at the rear surface on the flange 21 of the support 17 surrounding the bar member 23 and the flange 22 of the bottom plate 2 enters an annular space 24 defined by the flange 21 of the support 17 and the inner wall of the sliver can 1. A plan view of the bottom plate 2 and its relationship with flange 21 is shown in FIG. 3. Flange 22, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, is a continuous circumferential member.

In order to prevent the bottom plate 2 from being inverted in the can 1, the flanges 21 and 22 are so dimensioned that a distance between a point a on the lowermost inner edge portion of the flange 22 and a point b on the uppermost outer edge portion of the flange 22 is made longer than a distance between a point 0 on the inner surface of the sliver can 1 and a point d on the outer surface of the flange 21, the point d being flush with the point c. It is therefore understood that, upon inclination of the can 1 in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2, the point b on the flange 22 will abut against the inner surface of the can 1 and the point a against the outer surface of the flange 21, preventing the inversion of the bottom plate 2. In other words, the points a and b on the flange 22 of the bottom plate 2 serve as means for limiting the inclination of the bottom plate 2 relative to the sliver can 1. In addition, it is desirable to dimension the diameters of the annular flanges 21 and 22 so that, when the bottom plate 2 is disposed within the can 1 with the center axis of the former coincident with that of the latter, a radial width of an outer annular part of the space 24 defined by the inner wall of the can 1 and the outer wall of the flange 22 of the bottom plate 2 is made narrower than that of an inner annular part of the space 24 defined by the outer wall of the flange 21 of the support 17 and the inner wall of the flange 22 of the bottom plate 2. In the case of the space 24 being so divided, the bottom plate 2 is restored smoothly from an inclined position (not shown) to the correct position shown in FIG. 2, because the flange 22 of the bottom plate 2 can not ride on the flange 21 of the support 17.

Since the can 1 of the present invention is of the improved construction as described hereinbefore, even if the can 1 is excessively inclined, the inclination of the bottom plate 2 in the can to the support 17 will always be liminted to an extent sufficient to prevent inversion by said limiting means consisting of the points a and b shown in FIG. 2. When the can 1 is restored to its upright position, the bottom plate 2 can always lie on the support 17 correctly as shown in FIG. 2. This allows the can 1 to be carried to the position of FIG. 1 with the bottom plate 2 properly lying on the support 17. Thereafter, the required operation for accommodating the sliver in the can 1 is carried out in the manner as hereinbefore described and as described in US. Pat. No. 3,614,814.

According to the present invention, the flange 22 of the bottom plate 2 may have a length longer than the flange 21 of the support 17 as shown in a modified form of the embodiment of FIG. 4. In such case, the bottom plate 2 is supported on a flat part 25 of the support 17 instead of the flange 21. The length of flange 22, i.e., the distance between points a and b' (corresponding to the points a and b of FIG. 2) is greater than the separation between the inner wall of the can and flange 21, i.e., the distance between points and d' (corresponding to the points c and d of FIG. 2).

Another modified form of the embodiment presented in FIG. 5 is preferable for a sliver can having a relatively small diameter opening provided in a support 17. In this case, an annular flange 22 depending from a bottom plate 2 is not disposed along the circumference of the bottom plate 2, as in previous embodiments but is provided circularly on a mid portion of the bottom plate 2 having a diameter about half that of the bottom plate 2. Of course, points a", b", c" and d are in the same dimentional relations as those of the points a, b, c and d of FIG. 2, and the space between the inner surface of the sliver can 1 and the outermost side surface of the bottom plate 2 is narrower than the space between the inner side surface of the flange 22 and the outer side surface of the flange 21.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show different bottom plates in modifled forms. In FIG; 6, the bottom plate is provided with a plurality of projections in this example, four projections 22a, 22b, 22c and 22d spaced equidistantly along the circumference of the bottom plate, which projections have the same functions as the flange 22 of FIG. 2. FIG. 7 shows the bottom plate flanges and the support in rectangle form, surrounding the latter flange with the former flange. In all case, the same functions as those obtained by the embodiment-of FIG. 2 can be I performed.

I a cylindrical body having open opposite ends, a circular bottom member located within said can and adapted for movement along the inner wall of said can between an uppermost and bottommost position and being moved along said wall by said reciprocally movable member which contacts said bottom member when said reciprocally movable member extends into said can. said bottom member having flange means depending downwardly, and a support member coupled to the lower open end of said can to provide a lower end stop for said bottom member. said support member having a central opening for passage of said movable member therethrough and having a circular flange extending upwardly within said can, said bottom member flange means and said support member flange interacting to limit inclination of said bottom member relative to sald can when saId can is in a tilted position, said bottom member flange means having a length slightly greater than the distance between the inner wall of said can and the flange extending upwardly within said can from said support member whereby said bottom member is prevented from becoming inverted, without appreciably reducing the volume within said can in which sliver may be collected.

2. A sliver collection can as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bottom member flange means of said bottom member is provided over the entire circumference thereof.

3. A sliver collection can as set forth in claim 2, wherein said bottom member is supported at a free lower end of said downwardly extending flange means by said support member.

4. A sliver collection can as set forth in claim 3, wherein said bottom member flange means is supported on an annular upper end of said upwardly extending flange of said support member.

5. A sliver collection can as set forth in claim 3, wherein said bottom member flange means is comprised of a plurality of segments spaced equidistantly along a circle on said bottom member.

6. A sliver collection can, open at the lower end and upper end thereof, for use with a device for accommodating coils of the sliver, said device including a reciprocally movable member which can be extended into said can and retracted therefrom through the lower open end of said can, said sliver collection can comprising: a cylindrical body having open opposite ends, a circular bottom member located within said can and adapted for movement along the inner wall of said can between an uppermost and bottommost position and being moved along said wall by said reciprocally movable member which contacts saId bottom member when said reciprocally movable member extends into said can, said bottom member having flange means depending downwardly and formed in a rectangular upwardly within said can, said bottom member flange means and said support member flange interacting to limit inclination of said bottom member relative to said can when said can is in a tilted position, said bottom member flange means having a length slightly greater than the distance between the inner wall of said can and the flange extending upwardly within said can from said support member whereby said bottom member is prevented from becoming inverted, without appreciably reducing the volume within said can in which sliver may be collected. 

1. A sliver collection can, open at the lower end and upper end thereof, for use with a device for accomodating coils of the sliver, said device including an reciprocally movable member which can be extended into said can and retracted therefrom through the lower open end of said can, said sliver collection can comprising: a cylindrical body having open opposite ends, a circular bottom member located within said can and adapted for movement along the inner wall of said can between an uppermost and bottommost position and being moved along said wall by said reciprocally movable member which contacts said bottom member when said reciprocally movable member extends into said can, said bottom member having flange means depending downwardly, and a support member coupled to the lower open end of said can to provide a lower end stop for said bottom member, said support member having a central opening for passage of said movable member therethrough and having a circular flange extending upwardly within said can, said bottom member flange means and said support member flange interacting to limit inclination of said bottom member relative to saId can when saId can is in a tilted position, said bottom member flange means having a length slightly greater than the distance between the inner wall of said can and the flange extending upwardly within said can from said support member whereby said bottom member is prevented from becoming inverted, without appreciably reducing the volume within said can in which sliver may be collected.
 2. A sliver collection can as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bottom member flange means of said bottom member is provided over the entire circumference thereof.
 3. A sliver collection can as set forth in claim 2, wherein said bottom member is supported at a free lower end of said downwardly extending flange means by said support member.
 4. A sliver collection can as set forth in claim 3, wherein said bottom member flange means is supported on an annular upper end of said upwardly extending flange of said support member.
 5. A sliver collection can as set forth in claim 3, wherein said bottom member flange means is comprised of a plurality of segments spaced equidistantly along a circle on said bottom member.
 6. A sliver collection can, open at the lower end and upper end thereof, for use with a device for accommodating coils of the sliver, said device including a reciprocally movable member which can be extended into said can and retracted therefrom through the lower open end of said can, said sliver collection can comprising: a cylindrical body having open opposite ends, a circular bottom member located within said can and adapted for movement along the inner wall of said can between an uppermost and bottommost position and being moved along said wall by said reciprocally movable member which contacts saId bottom member when said reciprocally movable member extends into said can, said bottom member having flange means depending downwardly and formed in a rectangular shape; and a support member coupled to the lower open end of said can to provide a lower end stop for said bottom member, said support member having a central opening for passage of said movable member therethrough and having a rectangular flange extending upwardly within said can, said bottom member flange means and said support member flange interacting to limit inclination of said bottom member relative to said can when said can is in a tilted position, said bottom member flange means having a length slightly greater than the distance between the inner wall of said can and the flange extending upwardly within said can from said support member whereby said bottom member is prevented from becoming inverted, without appreciably reducing the volume within said can in which sliver may be collected. 